Combined electric rotary switch and fuse



May 2, 1933- ca. MILLS COMBINED ELECTRIC ROTARY SWITCH AND FUSE Filed Aug. l2, 1930 Patented May 2, 1933 PATENT @FF GEORGE MILLS, OE ROCKDALE, NEVI SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA COMBINED ELECTRIC RGTARY SWITCH AND FUSE Application filed August 12, 1930, Serial No. 174374, and in Australia June 2-7, 1930.

The object of this invention is to provide an electric rotary switch that will be simple and cheap to manufacture and eliicicnt and safe in operation and to combine therewith a fuse of the replacement type so that should th-e fuse blow it may be safely replaced by any person of average intelligence.

These objects are achieved by means of a specially shaped barrel rotatably mounted in a box wherein suitable lead-in brush cont-acts are arranged so that as the barrel is turned through an arc the brushes will contact with corresponding contacting members carried by the barrel, each one of the latter contacting members being electrically connected by a fuse of the replacement type to corresponding Contact members also carried by the barrel and adapted to contact with the lead-out brushes arranged within the box. The barrel is provided with cam faces upon which the contacting members are arranged alternately with plain faces so that as the barrel is rotated the brushes will alternately rub upon the contacting members and plain faces, and thus make and break the circuit controlled by the switch. i

Other features of the vinvention will be explained in the detailed description which will now be given and wherein reference will be made to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combined switch and fuse constructed according to this invention and arranged within the box, the main parts within the box being indicated by dotted lines. Y

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation, but the contacting members at each end of the barrel and also on the fuse holders have been shown in elevation in order to make the construction clearer.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a specially constructed removable fuse holder.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the specially shaped contact pieces.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the barrel showing the contacts thereon and the spring contacts for contacting therewith.

In its simplest and preferred form the rotatable barrel is made in one piece of porcelain or other suitable nonelectric conducting material. 1t embodies the trunnions 11, handle 12, cam faces 13 and central part of the barrel 10 wherein are formed longitudinal recesses 15 to receive the respective specially 55 constructed removable fuse holders 16. The box or container 18 is also preferably made of porcelain but other suitable material may be used) and is provided with a specially shaped lid 19 of similar material wherein is 60 a central aperture 2O through which a fuse holder 16 is passed when it is to be inserted in a recess 15 or withdrawn therefrom. The longitudinally central portions 17 of the lid 19 are curved upwardly and inwardly from 65 each side to the aperture 20 so that the raised central portions 16a on the fuse holder 16 when first inserted will lie between and rotatably within those raised portions 17 of the 70 lid 19.

At any suitable points, preferably in the bottom of the box or container 18, means are provided, such as hollow bolts 21 and nuts 22 for securing the fixed contacts 23 and their associated springs 211. The electric leads, 75

not shown in the drawing, are electrically connected to these contacts 23 by means of the hollow bolts 21 and nuts 22 in any known manner.

The box 18 may be secured to any conven- 80 ient fixture by means of screws which pass through holes 25 in the bottom of the box, the lid or cover 19 being secured to the box by means of screws and nuts 26 or in any other 85 convenient manner.

Bearings 27 for the trunnions 11 are formed partly in each of the adjacent edges of the box 18 and cover 19 at each end thereof.

At each end of the barrel 10 are the cam faces 13 which are integral therewith and re- 90 semble a ratchet wheel in shape; there are four of these cam faces at each end, two of which are covered by a portion 28 of a specially shaped contact member 29 shown at Figure e' of the drawing. A portion 29a of 95 right angles for a short distance along the bottom of the recess, the portions 29?) then being bent outwardly at right angles to that portion which lies at the bottom of the recess. The portions 291) form clip contacts that are adapted to contact with the Contact members 166 on the fuse holder 16. The contact members 29 at each end of the body part 10 are maintained in position by means of a slip-on clamping ring 30 each of which is transversely recessed at 30a (Figure 2) to enable it to pass on to the parts 29a of the respective contact members 29. The handle 12 is integral with the barrel 10 and its greatest diameter should be slightly less than the inner diameter of the slip-on clamping ring 30, so that the latter may pass over it when being placed in position.

When the switch is in the o position each pair of lead-in and lead-out brushes 23 are in contact with their respective plain cam faces 13, that is the cam faces that are not provided with contact members 28, and by turning the handle 12 through an arc of 90 the brushes are forced outwardly until the ends of the cam faces reach the end of the brushes when the latter will be caused to snap inwardly on to the part 28 of the respective contact members 29 and thereby complete the circuit which it controls. To remove a fuse holder 16 the handle 12 is turned until the fuse holder lies in register with the aperture 20. The ends of the centrally raised portion 16a of the fuse holder may now be gripped by the thumb and finger of the operator and removed from the clip contacts 29?) and another fuse holder similarly inserted in its place. It will be noted that the fuse holders lie parallel with and are carried by the rotatable barrel 10 and their positions are such that when the barrel is rotated so as to bring them into register with the aperture 20 the brushes are in conta/ct with plain cam faces and the switch therefore is in the 0H position.

The specially constructed fuse holder 16 consists of an approximately inverted T shaped block of any suitable electric nonconducting material, the central, short, member of which forms the raised portion 16a. A hole 31 is bored or formed longitudinally in the longer member of the fuse holder to receive a length of fuse wire 32 and another sighting hole 33 is formed in the short member'la so that it will communicate with the hole 31 in order that the fuse Wire 32 may be seen when in position and thus enable a lperson to determine by inspection when a fuse has blown. Metallic contact members 16b are secured at the ends of and around the bottom and sides of the longitudinal member of the fuse holder 16 in any suitable manner and may be additionally secured by screws that pass through holes 35, such screws also being utilized for the purpose of binding the respective ends of fuse wire 32 and thereby providing a means for placing the fuse wire in the electric circuit.

Vhilst it has been stated that in its preferred and simplest form the handle 12 is integral with the body part 10, it will be obvious that the construction herein described and illustrated in the drawing could be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention; for example the slip-on clamping ring 30 could be provided with shallow radial lugs or their equivalent which would project through a suitably shaped and dimensioned slot formed in the lid 19 so that the operator may, by pressing the thumb against the projecting portion of the ring in the required direction, cause the latter and with it the barrel l() to move through an arc of 90.

At diametrically opposite positions of the barrel 10 are suitably shaped bosses 10a. When the barrel 10 has been rotated so as to place the fuses in circuit, one of the bosses 10a will be positioned within the curved portion 17 of the aperture 20 formed in the lid 19 and thereby closing the aperture.

The formation of the barrel 10 as hereinbefore described enables the contacts and fuse holders carried thereby to be secured thereto and the whole positioned within the box without the use of screws or bolts, thereby reducing the cost of assembling.

It should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the description hereinbefore given or by the accompanying drawing as it will be obvious that by modifications the invention is equally applicable as a. combined triple pole, switch and fuse.

I claim:

1. A combined switch and fuse comprising a container, a barrel journaled therein and provided with longitudinal recesses, a holder for the fuse, contacts carried by the barrel and including clips, said clips being mounted in the recesses, said holder being removably engaged with the clips, and contacts in the container for engagement with the contacts of the barrel.

2. A combined switch and fuse comprising a container, a barrel journaled in the container, a holder for the fuse, said barrel having recesses therein. cam faces on the ends of the barrel, contacts associated with alternate cam faces, clips in the recesses and in circuit in said contacts, said holder being removably engaged with the clips, and contacts in the container for engaging the contacts of the barrel.

3. A combined switch and fuse comprising a container including a lid, a barrel journaled in the container, contacts mounted on the ends of the barrel and having clips in circuit therewith, a holder for the fuse removably engaged with the clips, said holder including a central raised portion, said lid having an elongated aperture therein, said portion projecting through the aperture, hoods on the lid to receive the raised portion to permit passage of the raised portion during rotation of the barrel, and contacts in the container engageable with the contacts of the barrel.

4. A combined switch and fuse comprising a container, a barrel journaled in the container, contacts on the ends of the barrel, clips on the barrel in circuit with the contacts, a fuse holder comprising a block, a fuse in' the block, contacts for the fuse on the ends of the block adaptedV to detachahly engage said clips, said block having a transverse fuse sighting passage therein, and contacts in the container for engagement With the contacts of the barrel.

In Witness whereof I have signed this speciica-tion.

GEORGE MILLS. 

